| Premises: Racetrack area Date: Friday, April 5 Start: 19:15 Polish time |
| Reception: Live on BBC One Wales, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds, on the BBC Sport website and app, and with live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Jess Fishlock says Wales are determined to achieve their first major final in what is likely their final campaign.
Fishlock, 37, is aiming to achieve 150 appearances when Rhian Wilkinson’s men face Croatia and Kosovo of their first qualifiers this month.
However, the Seattle Reign midfielder accepts that her time with the Wales national team could also be coming to an end.
“I’m 37 now and this will probably be my last campaign,” she said.
Fishlock considered leaving after Wales’ World Cup qualifying hopes faded following defeat to Switzerland within the play-offs in October 2022.
“After the match against Switzerland I really thought about leaving, it was very difficult. When we were together, I tried to be strong for the team.
“I came home and while I was with my family, my emotions got the best of me and I burst into tears for my mother.
“I told her, ‘I can’t do this anymore, I can’t go through this anymore.’ My mom said, “Okay.”
“At that point, I expected her to encourage me to pursue my career, but she gave me exactly what I needed.
“I went to sleep, woke up, and when I woke up, I was ready to go out again.
“One more campaign” – that is what I said once I woke up.
Now under Wilkinson’s leadership following the shock departure of Gemma Grainger as Norway manager, Wales are struggling to get better The last heartache within the World Cup play-off match against Switzerland.
In the fourth group of League B, they are going to face Croatia, Kosovo and Ukraine, attempting to qualify for the following European Championship to be held in Switzerland.
Fishlock, Wales’ most capped player, believes the team can use the pain of their World Cup play-off final defeat 18 months ago to fuel their ambitions of qualifying for a serious tournament for the primary time.
“After reaching the play-off final for a place in the last World Cup, we know we have the ability and desire to qualify,” Fishlock added.
“We’ve had this feeling over the last few campaigns.
“I think ultimately our close losses in qualifying helped us grow as a team. This motivates me to keep working because it hurt so much. As a group, it was hard to get through it.
“I guess when you feel like you’re completely devastated, you don’t really want to feel that feeling again.
“In this campaign you take that feeling from Switzerland and use it as extra motivation because you don’t want to feel that again.”
Credit : www.bbc.co.uk
